Mnangagwa marks birthday with call for hard work, integrity and Vision 2030

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has marked his birthday by thanking God, his family, ZANU PF and Zimbabweans for their support, while urging citizens to remain focused on building what he described as a prosperous and empowered upper‑middle‑income society by 2030.


In a message released on Tuesday, Mnangagwa placed faith, family, national service and collective responsibility at the centre of his reflection, giving thanks to God for life, strength, wisdom, guidance and preservation throughout his years in public service. “Allow me to thank my family and my wife Auxillia for their support throughout my public service, at both the Party and Government level,” he said.

He also thanked ZANU PF, young people and Zimbabweans living both at home and in the diaspora for what he described as their goodwill and continued confidence in the country’s development vision. “To the Party, ZANU PF, and you, our young people, as well as all fellow Zimbabweans, here in the country and those in the Diaspora; I thank you for your goodwill and continued confidence in our shared national Vision to be a prosperous and empowered upper‑middle‑income society,” he said.

The President used the occasion to urge Zimbabweans to pursue wealth creation through legitimate means, while warning against corruption and drug abuse. “The message is clear: let us make money, but let us not steal. Let us build, but let us not destroy. To our youth, say no to drugs and say no to corruption,” he said.

His remarks come as his administration continues to promote Vision 2030 as the overarching national development objective, presenting economic transformation, infrastructure development, investment and empowerment as key components of its agenda.

The birthday message, however, comes amid continuing political debate over Mnangagwa’s record since assuming the presidency in 2017. While supporters point to government programmes and development projects as evidence of progress under the Second Republic, critics continue to raise questions about the economy, governance, human rights, elections and the pace of improvements in living conditions.

Human‑rights and political activist Nanette Allmark, in a separate birthday message, adopted a sharply contrasting position, accusing Mnangagwa of failing to fulfil the expectations that accompanied the political transition of 2017. Allmark challenged the President to use his birthday for “deep introspection” and accused his administration of presiding over continuing hardships, including problems affecting public hospitals, roads, unemployment and housing. She also criticised the 2023 election, describing it as “the most fraudulent election in SADC history”, and invoked unresolved political and human‑rights issues dating back several decades.

Her intervention contrasts with Mnangagwa’s own message, which presents national unity, hard work, integrity and collective participation as essential to Zimbabwe’s development. The competing messages illustrate the broader debate surrounding Mnangagwa’s presidency as he continues to lead Zimbabwe under the banner of the Second Republic.

For Government and its supporters, the central question remains how quickly Zimbabwe can achieve the Vision 2030 target through investment, infrastructure development, economic growth and citizen empowerment. For critics, the assessment of the President’s legacy extends beyond development projects to questions of democratic governance, electoral credibility, human rights, accountability and whether the hopes associated with the events of 2017 have been fulfilled.

Mnangagwa’s birthday message sought to reinforce his preferred narrative of a country moving towards economic transformation through unity and collective responsibility. “All fellow Zimbabweans” — including young people and citizens in the diaspora — were placed at the centre of that vision.

As Zimbabwe continues to debate the successes and shortcomings of the Second Republic, the contrasting birthday messages underline the sharply different interpretations of Mnangagwa’s presidency: one centred on faith, development and Vision 2030, and the other on accountability, unresolved grievances and the question of legacy.

This story contributes to wider national reflections on Vision 2030 progress and leadership accountability.